Carmagnole

Notes

• Was a song and dance of the revolutionaries meant to mock the aristocracy
• Named after a dress which the sans-culottes wore
• Usually sung as a rally song or battle cry
• Could sometimes be used a punishment for nobles: forcing them to perform the song
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carmagnole

Lyrics

Madame Veto avait promis,	Madame Veto had promised
Madame Veto avait promis.	Madame Veto had promised.
de faire égorger tout Paris,	To cut everyone's throat in Paris.
de faire égorger tout Paris.	To cut everyone's throat in Paris.
Mais son coup a manqué	But she failed to do this,
grâce à nos canonniers.	Thanks to our gunners.
Refrain :	Refrain:
Dansons la Carmagnole	Let us dance the Carmagnole
Vive le son,	Long live the sound
Vive le son.	Long live the sound
Dansons la Carmagnole	Let us dance the Carmagnole
Vive le son du canon.	Long live the sound of the cannons.
Monsieur Veto avait promis (bis)	Mr. Veto had promised (repeat)
D'être fidèle à son pays, (bis)	To be loyal to his country, (repeat)
Mais il y a manqué,	But he failed to be,
Ne faisons plus quartier.	Let us show no mercy.
Refrain	Refrain
Antoinette avait résolu (bis)	Antoinette had decided (repeat)
De nous faire tomber sur le cul; (bis)	To drop us on our arses ; (repeat)
Mais le coup a manqué	But the plan was foiled
Elle a le nez cassé.	And she fell on her face.
Refrain	Refrain
Son Mari se croyant vainqueur, (bis)	Her husband, thinking he was victorious, (repeat)
Connaissait peu notre valeur, (bis)	Little did he know our value, (repeat)
Va, Louis, gros paour,	Go, Louis, big crybaby,
Du Temple dans la tour.	From the Temple into the tower.
Refrain	Refrain
Les Suisses avaient promis, (bis)	The Swiss had promised, (repeat)
Qu'ils feraient feu sur nos amis, (bis)	That they would fire on our friends, (repeat)
Mais comme ils ont sauté!	But how they jumped!
Comme ils ont tous dansé!	How they all danced!
Refrain	Refrain
Quand Antoinette vit la tour, (bis)	When Antoinette saw the tower, (repeat)
Elle voulut faire demi-tour, (bis)	She wanted to turn back, (repeat)
Elle avait mal au coeur	She is sick at heart
De se voir sans honneur	To see herself without honor.
Refrain	Refrain
Refrain	Refrain
Refrain	Refrain

The Dance


Significance in A Tale of Two Cities
The dance is meant to show the chaos and disorder of the revolutionaries. Dancers wildly dance with whomever they choose with crazy, fast movements. This causes the performance as a whole to appear disjointed and chaotic. The disorder of the dance terrifies Lucie, mirroring how the disorder in the revolutionary movement caused the people of France to live a life of fear.